


Of In-Laws And Family Christmases

by Nyyrikki



Series: Of Doctors And Starship Captains [6]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Christmas, Established Relationship, M/M, Meet the Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 08:03:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8393698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyyrikki/pseuds/Nyyrikki
Summary: Wherein Jim meets Bones' family and has a chat with his sister.Set after Of Doctors, Captains And Their Mothers.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Both written and posted on mobile, so my apologies for all the typos I missed and if there are any issues with formatting.

 

"Remind me again why you thought this was a good idea," Jim grumbles as he hobbles out of the taxi, trying to gain his balance with his crutches.  
"It was you who said we should visit my family sometime. That's what we're doing."  
"Yeah, but…" Jim cringes as he follows Bones toward the big farmhouse, "Did we have to come on Christmas when your _whole_  family is here?"  
"Jim" Leonard stops and turns to lay his hands on Jim's shoulders lightly, softening the irritation in his voice. "What's the point of visiting family if they're not there when you visit?"  
Jim sighs, knowing he's being difficult. "I know, I know."  
"I know you're nervous," Leonard says, tone more quiet and gentle. It's the tone Bones only uses with him, and Jim know's he'd never admit to even posessing a mode of speaking that isn't 'grumbling'. "It'll be fine, Jim."  
Jim isn't so sure it will, but he doesn't protest any more. He knows Bones doesn't really see his family that often and that this means a lot to him. And honestly, what else would they do on Christmas? Jim's family isn't even on _E_ _arth_ , so it's either this or just the two of them, which wouldn't be bad by any means, but he knows his husband misses his home. So, Georgia it is.  
"Come on," Leonard says and presses a kiss on his forehead. "It's not gonna be as bad as you think."

And he's right, it's not _quite_  as bad as Jim thought it would be, but it's a damn near thing.  
Leonard has so many aunts and uncles and cousins that Jim can't keep up with the introductions, and all of them want to shake his hand or give him a hug but no-one seems to come up with anything to talk about that isn't war-related. And since the topic is still a sore spot for everyone, not just Jim, there are a lot of awkward sileces when they can't think of anything to say.  
Leonard's mother, Eleanora, is a gentle woman, all smiles and laugh lines and sweet scents Jim can't quite put a name to, and Bones' eyes light up when he greets her. Donna, his sister, is like a more cheerful and energetic version of Leonard paired with their mother's looks, although Jim only gets a chance to exchange a few words with her before she disappears into the kitchen with Eleanora. He dutifully makes the rounds as Bones introduces him, but the minute his husband gets pulled into a conversation with some cousin Jim can't for the life of him remember the name of, an invisible barrier of awkwardness seems to erect itself around him. And that pretty much sums up the afternoon as well as the evening; dinner is delicious and a social relief because he gets to sit next to Leonard, but whenever he's left alone the conversation seems to die down. No-one seems capable of seeing past 'Jim the recovering war hero' to 'Jim the slightly paniced husband'.

His back, feet and arms hurt from shuffling around on his crutches all day, he's lost Bones and everyone else seems to have engrossed themselves in late night reminiscing, so Jim makes his escape and sits down in the swing outside on the porch. He thinks it's unnaturally warm for december, but then again, they're in Georgia, not Iowa. Small, white fairy lights twinkle from where they hang under the stable's eaves, and beyond the fence he can see the silhouettes of horses out on the dark meadow.  
"Did the crowd get to be too much for you?"  
Donna sits down next to him, wrapped in a fluffy cardigan. She's smiling a small, knowing smile.  
"Eric was the same the first time I brought him to a family gathering, alhtough he didn't have the disadvantage or being famous."  
Jim is struck dumb; to him Donna's husband seemed to fit like a loud and chatty pea in an equally loud pod.  
"They all seem really nice," Jim says with a tired smile, "but it's just, you know, really fucking awkward to be seen as a war hero when I don't feel like anything more than a regular guy being brought to meet the family."  
"I can imagine," Donna chuckles.  
They sit in companionable scilence for a while, listening to the murmur from inside the house mix with the soft sounds of the night.  
"Are you going back out there? In the black?" Donna finally asks.  
Jim takes a deep breath. "If I get my legs back properly. If they give me a ship."  
Donna nods but doesn't say anything for a while. Jim is waiting for 'the talk', the one where he has to swear never to hurt Bones or he gets a frying pan to his face. But it doesn't come.  
"Take care of him, ok? Bring him back safe."  
It takes a moment for Jim to catch up.  
"Bones is not coming with me, he hates the very idea of being just a plate of metal away from the vaccuum of space."  
"You really think he's gonna let you out of his sight now, after everything?" Donna asks, amused. "Leo's a stubborn bastard. Either you don't go or he comes with you, and I don't think he'd ask you to stay."  
Jim doesn't know what to say, so he stays quiet. Bones is stubborn, but so is he; he doesn't know if he could expose his husband to the dangers of his job and live with himself if anything were to happen.  
"You know," Donna continues when he doesn't say anything, "back when you two first got together he told me about this damn annoying cadet he hooked up with who kept showing up to his door. I bet Eric you were gonna be a permanent fixture."  
She gives him a piercing look that wars with the soft hazel of her eyes.  
"You might be the best thing that's happened to Leo in a long time. Don't push him away."  
With that, Jim is left sitting alone as Donna stands up and goes back in. It doesn't take long for a more familiar frame to take her place, though.  
"You didn't let Donna scare you into divorcing me, did you?" Leonard asks jokingly and wraps his hand around Jim's shoulders. Jim allows himself to be pulled closer and leans against Bones.  
"She called me a permanent fixture," he replies with mock indignation. "I'm not a damn dining table."  
Leonard chuckles and presses his lips to Jim's hair.  
"She's a smart lady."  
And although Jim wouldn't admit aloud to accepting being compared to furniture, in this he thinks Bones is right. He's not going anywhere.

**Author's Note:**

> I think there is one more story to this series of ficlets. We'll see.


End file.
